Ressurection
by Determined-Day-Dreamer
Summary: What would you do if someone you loved had come back from the dead? It was a question Yuugi thought he'd never have to face. But what is he to do, when the departed spirit of his beloved has returned? Only this time, in the form of a five-year-old boy in need of a family and a home?
1. Star-Shower Wishes

Well, I have another story for you guys! Yes, I know I already have quite a few out, but I've unfortunately hit some blocks for them... Plus, I've had this idea for, like, MONTHS, and I just couldn't help it! I really got slapped with the hand of inspiration tonight! XD

Ooh, fun fact: I donated blood for the first time in a school drive today. It was fine at first, but about two minutes after I sat up and went to the "recovery" table for food and beverage, I suddenly got really dizzy and lightheaded, my vision freaked the fuck out, and I had to have two nurses help me to the floor and lay down before I fell on my ass and passed out. Yeah... I guess that happens when you give up a pint of blood. Not a very pleasant experience. Had a headache for the rest of the day. XD

OK, I'll stop rambling now. Enjoy the story! :D

* * *

**Title:** _Resurrection_

**Pairing(s)**: _?  
_  
**Genre:**_ Family, Hurt/Comfort, Spiritual_  
**  
Rating:** _K_

**Summary: **_What would you do if someone you loved had come back from the dead? It was a question Yuugi thought he'd never have to face. But what is he to do, when the departed spirit of his beloved has returned? Only this time, in the form of a five-year-old boy in need of a family and a home?_

(Father-Son Atemu/Yuugi)

**Universe:**_ Post-Canon, AU_

**Chapters: **_5 - 7_

**Warning(s):**__ Some angst, maybe a curse word here and there.  
__

* * *

**__~ Chapter I ~  
__**

__Star-Shower Wishes__

* * *

The skies were dark and spotted with clouds that night. The sun had set below the horizon about an hour previous, leaving behind a canvas of indigo and black behind. Silvery starlight twinkled with captivating beauty, like powder against an otherwise dull backdrop. The moon, full and round, was about a fourth of its way into its journey across the heavens. It was a truly breathtaking view.

Yuugi sighed, entering the room that he had turned into an office. It used to be his bedroom, before his grandfather had passed away. Since then, he had moved into the larger master bedroom, turning this place into an area for study and peace. The young man of twenty-seven closed his eyes, giving a small, dismal sigh at the thought. It had been so long... and yet, this place still held so many memories.

He had been twenty-two when Sugoroku passed on to the Afterlife, at the ripe old age of seventy-seven. It had been a tranquil death – he had been warm and happy, resting in his bed. Yuugi had first thought him to be sleeping, as a matter of fact. But upon going to shake his grandfather awake...

The man shuddered quietly at the memory of how _cold_ the elder's skin had felt beneath his palm.

It had been a difficult time since then. After all, Sugoroku had been the only family Yuugi had left. And now he was alone. Sure, he and his friends still touched bases once in while, but it wasn't the same as before. Yuugi rubbed his hands over his bare arms, gray tank-top and dark sweatpants doing little to protect him from a night's cold chill that had managed to infiltrate the small housing complex. He had been given his childhood home, as well as all of his grandfather's belongings, in the old man's will, to do so with as he pleased. It, as previously mentioned, had been hard. He wasn't used to living on his own. Especially in a place that was usually filled with life and laughter.

After high-school, he had drifted apart from his once tightly-knit circle of friends. One would think, that after all they had been through together, they would stay close. But that wasn't the case. After... after _he_ had left, Yuugi became depressed and introverted. Try as he might to be happy for the Pharaoh, he couldn't ignore that fact of how much he _missed_ him. They _did_ share a body, for quite some time, might he add. And though he was proud to have sent his other self to his final resting place in the Kingdom of the Gods, Yuugi couldn't ignore this new, empty hollow he felt in his soul as a result. He avoided most people, and even if he had managed to retain that small well of confidence he'd gained as a result of Atemu's introduction into his life, it didn't take very long for the wild-haired male to return to the way he had been before; shy, keeping mostly to himself, and rarely speaking. It was only natural that, reverted back to this former self, the bonds he had created with other people to waver and fade over time. Especially once everyone had sprouted their wings, and taken off into a new life that was all their own.

Anzu-chan had realized her dreams, having saved up enough funds to catch a plane to New York City, in America, to study dance. She owned small flat which she shared with a kind young man, whom she had met during her studies. She and Yuugi Skyped on a semi-regular basis. The last he had heard, she had won a part in some smaller-scale play, and going steady with said man she lived with. He couldn't remember the guy's name, for some reason.

Jounouchi-kun had gotten back into contact with his sister after graduation. He had set out into the world, becoming a professional duelist, and Yuugi often saw him dueling in competitions aired on the television. He was quite the shining star, and seemed to soak up the praise and attention like a sponge. But that did not make him arrogant. He was still the kind, aloof, trustworthy person Yuugi had come to love like a brother. Another thing: he was married, now. After the events that took place in Egypt, he and Mai, from Duelist Kingdom, had made a chance encounter, both having been wandering around Domino City at random that day. The two had rekindled their small flame, and it was only a year or so later that they became engaged, the ceremony taking place five months after that. Yuugi had been the best man at the wedding – a role he was _beyond_ honored to fill.

Every now and again, Jounouchi-kun would come for a visit, and he and Yuugi would hang out for a day or two. It felt just like old times, and Yuugi came to treasure every moment. In fact, the blonde had announced on his last visit that he and Mai were going to be parents. It had been a very joyous occasion – they'd called up all their old friends on a video chat in Skype and talked for hours.

Honda-kun had entered the police academy after graduation, and Yuugi often saw glimpses of him patrolling the streets on weekdays. Every now and again, they'd stop and chat, but there was not much more than that. They hadn't been quite as close as he had been with Jou or Anzu, so it was understandable, but Yuugi admitted he still kind of missed the times when they had interacted on a more regular basis. Honda had – apparently – finally worked up the courage to ask out an old crush of his – Nosaka Miho – on a date during their senior year of high-school. They had been going steady ever since, and if Honda's expression whenever he spoke about her was anything to go by, they were very happy together.

Jounouchi's sister, Shizuka-chan, had thrived after her big brother's adventures across the world. The surgery done on her eyes had gone without error, and its effect was long-lasting. She had graduated not too long ago – a few years, at the most – and she was currently enrolled in one of the highest-ranking Universities in Japan to receive her doctorate. She and Yuugi sometimes had an occasional lunch out, just chatting and catching up with one another. She was still single, to his understanding, but she seemed to have her eye on a boy in her class. Yuugi had to admit, she had grown into a very mature, caring, and attractive young woman.

Ryou-kun and Malik-kun were also doing quite well. His fellow "_hikaris_", as the trio had jokingly come to refer to themselves as, had moved in together about three years back. Though they had all shared their body with a second soul (or in Malik's case, a split personality), the Egyptian and the Brit seemed to have more in common with one another than Yuugi had had with either of them. They had both been harmed by their darker sides – mentally, physically, and emotionally. Ryou-kun was much more anxious than he had been in the past; there were times when the white-haired male had come close to admitting himself to an asylum from the aftermath of Yami Bakura. Malik, however, had been kind and supportive the whole time, as they lived together and was more available than Yuugi had been at the time. It seemed only natural that they had gotten together after all was said and done. They had both traveled back to Ryou's homeland of England. The three often made telephone calls to one another, inquiring about one another's well-being. And, strange as it may seem, they always seemed to have a sixth sense, of sorts, for each other. If one was currently going through a difficult time, it would not be long before they received a phone call from the other. Yuugi secretly suspected that exposure to Shadow magic was partially to blame for this – not that he was complaining.

Ishizu-san had met a man by the name of Mahado, and had settled down with him. They now had a little girl, whom they had appropriately named Mana. She was a sprightly little thing, and Yuugi had become absolutely smitten with her when they had first met. Her parents had been working in the local museum, having brought their daughter along, on a chance day when Yuugi had wandered there by impulse, alone. He sometimes would babysit the girl for her parents, when they were either working late or just needed some time for themselves. They, too, lived in Domino.

Otogi-kun had successfully launched his game of _Dungeon Dice Monsters_, having continued his collaboration with Pegasus-san upon his return to Japan. The game had been a huge hit, and it was to Yuugi's understanding that he was now living a happy, financially secure lifestyle with his girlfriend (whom he could also not remember the name of) in America. They had lost contact over the years, but Yuugi still found himself wishing the somewhat-arrogant man luck throughout the day.

The Kaibas were still thriving, currently working on expanding their company westward. Seto still seemed to be the arrogant, pompous ass he always had been, while Mokuba continued to be cheerful and kind, working hard as his elder brother's vice president of _Kaiba Corporations_. They crossed paths rarely, but when they did, it was usually little more interaction than a wordless gesture of greeting.

Any others? Yuugi was sure they were doing well. At least, he _hoped_ they were. It was on occasion that he ran into other vaguely-familiar faces from his high-school days, but they did little more than exchange a nod of greeting or a few words consisting of well-wishes. Actually, looking back now, it seemed that Yuugi was the only person from his group of companions that had... not quite moved forward with his life. Yes, he was living, but not in the way any of them would have pictured before. It was just... a day-by-day sort of thing. He didn't have too many plans for the future. He wasn't seeing anyone, and he wasn't looking, either. He just seemed to be... frozen, in his current state of mind. Just... running the game shop, as a way of continuing his grandfather's legacy, paying bills, going to sleep, and doing it again the next day. He had a few hobbies – for example, Yuugi had discovered that he seemed to have a natural gift for writing and art, and often did as such to pass the time – but he otherwise had little to do with his time. He had retired from the _Duel Monsters_ scene a few years ago, giving up both his title and his fame for the greatly desired quiet life he had always been accustomed to.

He'd grown slightly over the past few years, having gained about fifteen centimeters to his height. He still wasn't the tallest guy around, but at least he wasn't mistaken for an elementary schoolchild anymore. He also had filled out a little bit, cheeks loosing their babyish roundness, giving way to some sharper facial definition, as well as gaining some muscle over his arms and torso. It wasn't horribly brawny, but enough to the point where some people on the street had actually stopped and asked him if he exercised regularly. So, he was certain it was at least noticeable. And, honestly, Yuugi was pretty damn happy during those moments.

Still, it felt as if something were... missing.

The man brushed pale fingers through his star-shaped, ebony-and-maroon hair, walking up to his writing desk, to stare up into a skylight window. The nocturne sky glistened silently above. He wet his lips, before undoing the window's latch, and pushing it upwards. Stepping lightly, he went up onto the desk's surface, and lifted his body through the opening, hands braced against the shingled roof for leverage. He stepped up and out of the window's ledge, balancing carefully so he didn't fall. Standing slowly, he shoved his hands into the loose pockets of his night-pants, and looking past his shoulder, up towards the full moon. It was quite a beautiful scene.

He moved to the left of the open skylight, where the light from inside was less bright, and seated himself easily onto the cool rooftop. He sighed, resting one arm over a bent knee, leaning back on the other, violet eyes blinking slowly with a mixture of boredom and fatigue. He had to admit, this life, seeming to go absolutely _nowhere_... it was tiresome. And... and lonely...

He had been alone before, back before Atem and his friends had both entered and left his life, and he had been used to it then... but, now? Well... after growing used to having someone at his side to rely on, it was more than just a little difficult, falling back into the old swing of things. It didn't feel right. Like... he wasn't _whole_ anymore. He still missed Atem, even if he was happy that the ancient spirit had found his peace, and he would _always_ miss him. A piece of Yuugi would always yearn for the man, he was sure. No matter how much it would have to hurt.

The pale man sighed again, looking up to the sky once more. He often did this, when the loneliness became a little more than he could bear. Just... sit up on the roof, and look to the stars. Sometimes, he'd talk to them, imagining someone was there to listen. It was the reason he had come to love the night, and all of its dark mystery. It held his secrets. His hopes, fears, and darkest desires, accepting what he had to say without judgment while still holding some sort of invisible companionship, of sorts, to him.

"I..." he murmured quietly, "I think... I might have loved him. I mean, I guess it wasn't all that surprising, considering what we had gone through together, but... a part of me still wishes that I could have... _told_ him about it." The confession weighed on his consciousness, as he leaned back on both hands, planted firmly onto the chilly roofing. He recalled several nights, when Atem was still there, doing this, only having directed his quiet murmurings towards the spirit, rather than the heavens above. Yuugi gave a heavy sigh, head lolling back slightly. "It would have only made things harder on us, in the end, but I can't help but feel like something is missing because of it. As happy as I am that he isn't suffering anymore, and he's with his family and friends on the other side, I still can't help but wish that he were still here, y'know?"

He lay back completely, a shiver wracking his body when his sparsely-clothed back touched the rooftop. He stared blankly upwards, not really _looking_ at anything. More like zoning out. "I wonder if he's watching over me, like... like he always would before. Kind of like a guardian angel, or something like that. Sometimes, I wonder if it was all just a dream, even if the scars and nightmares I have are all there as proof of it. I fear I may have just gone insane, after all the crap I was put through when I was younger. But at the same time, a part of me just _knows_ that what happened was real, no matter how much I doubt myself. I guess, subconsciously, I'm clinging to what I used to have back then, because I'm scared of forgetting him..."

His quiet voice lapsed into complete silence then, as Yuugi closed his eyes, just laying there, embracing the cold feel of approaching winter up against his pale flesh. He'd go back inside soon – it wouldn't be very good if he fell asleep up on the roof and woke up with a cold...

_Again_.

He rested a few minutes longer, waiting until the tips of his fingers began to go numb, before huffing out another sigh, and opening his amethyst eyes once more. He watched at his breath puffed up into the air in the shape of a misty cloud, and were swept away on a small breeze that whispered by. He slowly, but surely, sat up once more, rubbing his hands into tiny fists against the other's palm, feeling how his chilled skin nipped against that which was still warm. His core temperature had dropped to the point of producing small shivers, continuously racing across his spine.

The young man was about to return to his home, standing up and looking back to the skylight, when something caught his eye.

"Eh?" He returned his vision skyward, lavender pools slightly wide. He stood completely still, waiting for... _something_, to happen. He pouted slightly in a mixture of confusion and thought. _What was that?_ he wondered. Maybe he was just seeing things?

Yes, that was it. The fatigue was starting to get to him, that was all. He blinked, almost turning back to the window, when he saw it _again_.

A quick, bright flash of light, streaming out against the night sky.

Yuugi tilted his head, rubbing his eyes quickly, and looking hard, scanning the atmosphere in an almost criticizing manner.

There is was again.

Bright, silvery-white, and very beautiful. A long tail of light struck out behind it, like the stroke of a brush over a painter's canvas. Then, there was another, and another, and another, until the flashes of light were falling down like raindrops. He breathed in quiet wonder, mouth slightly agape and eyes wide with awe. "A... star shower?" he asked aloud, though there was no-one there to hear him. He hadn't remembered any predictions of one on the news channel today...

No-one was to witness this amazing spectacle before him. It was late – well past eleven in the evening, and the lights of his neighbors' homes were all extinguished. He doubted anyone else in tiny Domino City was left awake to see this. He smiled slightly to himself. It felt... almost as if this show were specifically for _him_, though he was not ignorant enough to truly think so. Predicted, or not, this was just a chance incident.

But, that didn't mean he wouldn't enjoy it while it lasted.

He stood there silently, observing as stars gleamed and glistened past their stationary comrades, filling their surroundings and polishing the world below in a faint, silver hue with each group passing. He hummed quietly in appreciation to himself, feeling nostalgic. It reminded him of the first meteor shower he had ever witnessed – back when he was about ten. His grandfather had brought him outside, waking him up from a warm and peaceful slumber. Wrapping him up in a blanket, the two had traveled outside, where Yuugi had gaped at the scene above him. It looked like the sky was exploding! He had _ooh_ed and _aw_ed for nearly two hours, before sleep reclaimed him, and his grandpa had sent him back to bed, tucking the duvet corners around his body as he did so. Yuugi recalled Sugoroku once telling him, his plum eyes wide and filled with a sort of respect, almost, as he looked skyward, that one could make a wish on the falling stars.

"_Really, Jii-chan?_" he had asked with childish rapture.

"_Yes, my boy, you can. Each star is a spirit, traveling into the afterlife. If you are kind and polite, and you ask for the one thing your heart most desires, the falling stars will take your message, and pass it on to the Gods as they enter the next world. But only if they think you are deserving enough, will your wish be granted._"

Yuugi's young self had giggled in joy at that thought. His grandpa had looked to him, a kind and questioning smile on his face. "_Well? Aren't you going to make a wish?_" he had asked.

"_No,_" Yuugi had replied, determination written across his face, "_I'm going to make the stars think I deserve it first!_"

Sugoroku had chuckled fondly, before picking him up, and carrying him inside. "_A very wise answer, Yuugi. Now, let's get you to bed._"

Yuugi reopened his eyes, smiling at the memory. Oh, how he missed his Jii-chan...

He seemed to be missing a lot of people recently.

After a moment's pause, the twenty-seven-year-old did something that he, himself, was surprised by. He faced forward, closed his eyes, and gently placed his palms together at his front, head tilting downwards slightly in the form of one who was praying. Taking a small breath, Yuugi swallowed, before whispering quietly to the skies, once more. "Jii-chan... I don't know if you can hear me, or if you're even up there," he mumbled, feeling a little unsure of himself, "But... I think I'd like to make that wish now." He turned his face skyward, and looked to the star-dusted atmosphere above. "I don't really know what it is that my heart wants most, but whatever you give me in return, I know I will be grateful for it..."

He took another deep breath, fingers folding over themselves, eyes closing tight, as he thought hard as he could._ Let me feel whole again,_ he prayed silently. His voice, he found, uttered a quiet, almost desperate, "Please, please,_ please_," as he did this, willing with all of his heart that the wish would come true. Yes, it was silly, for someone of his age to be wishing on a falling star, but with all else Yuugi had seen during his lifetime... It certainly wasn't the _strangest_ thing he'd ever done.

And, with a quiet sigh, and an equally-hushed "goodnight" to his grandpa, Yuugi eased himself back through the skylight, and latched it shut. As he returned to bed, however, Yuugi did not see as, moments after his departure, a grand star blazed across the heavens, its light brightly contrasting against the shine of those around it, flaming a vibrant path across the obsidian, nighttime sky.

Yeah, it's kind of a boring chapter, but I figured it'd be a good way to start out. What do you think? ^^

I really, sincerely hope you guys LOVE this one. Honestly, I'm really freaking excited to write this story. Plus, it'll be relatively short, so... no harm done. :D

Please tell me what you think?

Love ya!

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own _Yu-Gi-Oh!_, nor anything to do with _Yu-Gi-Oh!_. These rights go to Kazuki Takahashi, _Konami_, and co.**

**Please respect the hard work I have put into this and all of my other stories, and do not steal/copy/claim this story as your own, nor post it/use it anywhere without my direct permission.**

**Also, though I respect/appreciate _constructive criticism_, I will not tolerate any flaming and/or spamming within the reviews of this story.  
**

**Thank you.**

**~ Fallen**


	2. Hobbies

_I admit, I'm a little disappointed by some parts of this chapter, but inspiration and motivation to write has been lacking a lot these past few months. So, this is what you guys get. I hope you love it, either way. XD_

_Also, the chapter count will be... a bit higher than I originally intended. How much higher? I have no idea. I also have the next chapter finished, but I'm not posting it right away. So, sorry for that. You may have in sometime next week, if I remember to post it XD_

_AND: I made this story a cover-image. Meaning, I drew it. What do you guys think? :D_

_Ok, I'll leave you to read now! Enjoy!_  
_~Fallen_

* * *

**_~ Chapter II ~  
_**

_Hobbies_

* * *

Hobbies were interesting things.

They ranged from all sorts of subjects and activities – some people would exercise, some would collect certain objects, some would read, play an instrument...

Yuugi would create.

Through writing, drawing, sculpting – anything he could do with the materials he could collect. The temptation to partake in these past-time habits would also vary on the situation. Whether it be boredom, anxiousness, joy, sorrow, rage, or just for something to do with one's life.

Yuugi didn't exactly know _why_ he would do this.

Usually, it would be triggered by some sort of event that reminded him of his past. When an old, buried memory would dig its way back up, and haunt his mind until he couldn't stand it anymore. If he was dwelling on something he or another person had said or done, letting it flow in his head, its nuisance much like that of a pesky insect that buzzed around his ears. Or, when a bad dream or flashback hit him in the night, terrorizing his unconscious mind to the point where he could have sworn he was living it all over again. And, every now and again, Yuugi would just be... _sad_. Hit by wave after wave of blue nostalgia, when his mind and memories seemed to be more set on reliving the past, rather than embracing his future. They were somewhat uncommon, though had steadily increased in frequency over the years, and could last anywhere from a few hours, to a few _days_. Where his head was hollow, his bright eyes would dim, and his body would become lethargic. Usually, he would just... lay in bed, or slink aimlessly around the house, desperate for any sort of distraction from the thoughts and memories that only served in dragging him down, further and further into the pits of depression he had been trying so _desperately_ to escape over the years following Atemu's passing.

And though they had all drifted apart little by little, over the past decade, Yuugi's friends would still worry and fret over him during these times, as if he were some lost, innocent child who couldn't find his family in the supermarket. But, he supposed they had every right to. He would be concerned, as well, if any of his friends decided to lock themselves up in their home for days on end, without so much as a phone call, oftentimes refusing to even get out of bed.

Most times, Mai, Jounouchi, or Shizuka would take it upon themselves to pay him a little visit, and keep him company for a few hours, trying to lift his spirits a little. And he appreciated it – he _really_ did – but... Yuugi found himself preferring to be left alone during those times. He didn't want to burden his friends with his darkening thoughts, but he didn't want to _ignore_ them, altogether! He didn't want to worry them. And he _especially_ didn't want them to see him during his more... emotional phases of these little funks he would get.

Some days, it would all just _hit_ him at once, like a tsunami of negative thoughts and emotions, rendering Yuugi unable to do more than just lay in bed and try not to break into tears. When the 'nostalgia surge', as he had come to refer to the draining little episodes as, overwhelmed him, he would just sit in his room, laying in bed, willing away the memories he was reliving. It wasn't uncommon for him to go a day or two without eating.

This was usually the point where he would pick up a pencil.

Drawing out the scenes that raged on inside the confines of his head was one of the few ways he could help to ease the burden, the building pressure in his chest. His hand would often move without any conscious effort or thought to what it was doing. Almost as if he were in a trance, or if someone else was there, doing it for him. Like when Atem had possessed his body during a duel, for example. It was almost as if he were sleeping while doing it – one moment, he'd be staring at a blank sheet of paper, the next, a complete landscape or person would show up on the page before him.

Which sets up the current predicament the former King of Duelists found him in right now.

Something about that meteor shower, now a little over a week ago, had set off one of these unpleasant nostalgic surges. And, like usual, it had led to what appeared to be him trying to vanish from the face of the earth. The ringing of the telephone was ignored, the voicemail remaining unheard, and the shop closed. Anyone who was a regular to the store knew by now that it would probably remain that way for, at least, a few more days. Those whom took the time out of their days to converse with Yuugi when browsing knew that the man had secrets, ones that were often on the mind and probably would remain so for the remainder of his days. What they were was anyone's guess.

For a kind and caring individual, Mutou Yuugi was a surprisingly secretive young man.

But, to digress...

It wasn't quite the episode he found himself in that was the problem.

It was the setting.

All he could recall from that morning upon waking, was making his way downstairs in his sweatpants and top, making a cup of tea to soothe his nerves after a particularly bad dream (which he now could not remember), and feeling the extreme compulsion to fetch his sketchbook from upstairs...

Now, he found himself sitting in his office, a good four or so hours into his morning later, with the room scattered generously in paper, graphite and colored pencils, charcoal sticks, erasers, and even a select few canvases now covered with drying acrylic paint. It looked like a damn _hurricane_ had swept its way through the place! Not to mention he looked as if he'd just been through a wrestling match with a giant slab of graphite. His hands were tinted silver from the stuff, along with several streaks up his arms and smudges on his face (how _that_ happened, he had absolutely no idea).

He didn't even _remember_ the last four hours! How many drawings had he created?

_Good Gods, I've had memory blanks, but **this** is freaking ridiculous!_ he thought with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, once again studying his hands with something just short of dismay. It would take _ages_ to clean this mess up! Let alone scrub the splatters of ink, pencil, and paint off of his skin! That, and he had to wait for the paintings to dry, and clean up all the wood and eraser shavings from the carpet, re-store all the extra acrylic paint the best he could, soak the brushes before he could clean them, put the easels away, reorganize the charcoal and colored pencils, pack away his sketchbooks again...

Downstairs, the doorbell rang. With a groan, he ignored it, and went about trying to straighten up the mess best he could without leaving graphite smudges everywhere.

The phone rang. Again, Yuugi ignored it. It went to voicemail.

Then his cellphone rang. The house phone started up moments after that.

And someone was _still_ ringing the goddamn doorbell.

Yuugi groaned, _This is going to be a **long** day_, he mentally lamented.

"Coming!" he called, quickly making his way down the stairwell, trying his best to avoid touching the railing or walls, so he wouldn't leave behind any off-silver residue. Briefly, he pondered if he should splash his face with some water from the kitchen faucet, but quickly decided against it. He knew that it would only be familiar faces awaiting him.

After all, only one man alive could be _this_ obnoxious about making his presence known.

"Yuug', c'mon, man! I know yer in there!" came an achingly familiar, accented voice, though it was greatly muffled by the locked door. "Ya' can't stay in there forever!" Peeking through the peephole, though he already knew who it was, Yuugi rolled his eyes, but gave a fond smile and shake of the head as the distorted face, partially covered by blonde bangs met him. It looked like someone else was in the background, but he couldn't make them out.

He unlocked the door, and peeked outside, having to squint slightly to adjust his eyes to the light. "Hey, Jou..." he greeted quietly with a kind smile. To his delight, he could see the rugged blonde's wife standing behind him, offering kind greetings and a warm smile. "Hi Mai," he added, getting a cheery, "Hey, Hun'" in return. Jounouchi only grinned, as Yuugi stood behind the door, and held it open as an invitation to come inside.

Jounouchi swept his shorter friend up into an enthusiastic hug the moment the doorway closed behind him, even going the extra step, and bending back a little to lift him up off of his feet. "Hey, pal! Long time no see!" Yuugi groaned, but couldn't help but to chuckle even as the air was being forced from his lungs. He returned the embrace, only much more gently. "How've ya' been? Ya' weren't pickin' up tha' phone!" As he dropped Yuugi back to the ground, his amber eyes widened, taking in his friend's disheveled appearance. If there was one thing Jounouchi Katsuya knew his friend prided himself on, it was his appearance. He always liked looking put-together and organized, rather than "_some slob who didn't understand the concept of the words 'personal hygiene'_," as the shorter male had told him once before.

Yuugi glanced to his grayed hands, smeared-up arms, and making the mistake to reach up and touch his face, therefore only spreading the mess. He gave a sheepish grin to his two friends – both looked like they were holding back laughter – and said, "Eh... you, uh... kind of caught me at a bad time," he informed with a chuckle. Mai snorted with amusement from beside him.

"We can see that."

Jou bust out into laughter, while his female companion gave a more quiet giggle. "God, Yuug', what'd ya' do? Make-out wit' a giant pencil?" he joked, slapping his friend heartily on the shoulder while the spiky-haired man just rolled his eyes with a fond huff, and led them into the kitchen.

"You could say I've... been busy the past few hours. Drawing, and such..." This made his friends' laughter pause. They both knew what that meant, and it made a great amount of concern fill the atmosphere. "It's no big deal, though. I mean, it passes the time, right? I don't even remember it." His mind immediately screamed _bad idea!_ at mentioning the apparent four-hour-long lapse of memory. Yuugi bit back a rough groan, and resisted the urge to smack himself.

To try to distract his friends (somewhat in vain, might he add), he made an offer of food and beverage. It wasn't turned down (this _was_ Jounouchi, after all). He went about warming some water for tea whilst Jounouchi helped himself to whatever he could find in the kitchen. "Mai, do you want something?" he asked, "I mean, you _are_ technically eating for two, now."

She just waved her hand dismissively with a smile. "No, thanks, Hun'. I had something before we headed out here." She sat forward in her seat as much as her swelling stomach allowed her, chin perched elegantly on the backs of her interlaced fingers, her lavender eyes observing. The woman, despite being in the middle of her second trimester of pregnancy, still held that beauty, elegance, and overall _sass_ she contained before she got a proverbial bun in the oven. Yuugi offered a somewhat-sheepish smile, mentally preparing himself for what was to come from her next. To have an excuse to break eye contact with those lilac eyes, he turned, and turned on the sink. Using some dish soap, he began to try and scrub away the shiny, gray graphite residue from his arms and hands. He heard her give a small sigh, before shifting.

And _cue_ the interrogation.

"So..." the woman drawled, being sure to draw out the short word as much as she could, "You've been drawing again?" Yuugi glanced over his shoulder, offering a playful smile.

"I would think the answer to that is rather obvious," he teased.

"How long for this time?" came the next question, Mai not missing a beat. Even Jounouchi had paused, knowing better than to cause any sort of distraction when his wife was in one of her 'moods'. Discreetly, he tossed his friend a look that said "_good luck_", and went to seat himself at the table. Yuugi shot him a sarcastic expression, one brow raised with a frown on his face, as if to say "_gee, thanks_", before merely shrugging.

"N... Not for very long..." he fibbed unconvincingly. It was well-known between Yuugi and his friends that Yuugi was an absolutely _horrid_ liar. It just wasn't in his nature, no matter how badly he wanted to avoid troubling someone with the truth. With a warning growl of "_Yuugi_..." from Mai, he knew it was pointless.

No-one in their right mind would ever mess with a pregnant woman. Let alone one who was just over six months along.

He sighed, giving in whilst his fingers still worked to roughly scrub away the artistic residue from his skin. "I don't really know... give or take, about thirty minutes... three, maybe four hours?" He felt his shoulders draw up, almost as if trying to instinctively hide himself, as the concern filled the married couples' widened eyes. "I don't even know who or what it was I drew, honestly... I didn't bother looking."

Yuugi watched the grayed water twist and splash against the sink, before spinning down the drain. He grabbed a hand-towel from the fridge handle, placed for convenience in moments such as this, and dried his hands, before wetting a corner of it, and wiping away at the lingering graphite on his cheek. The kettle on the stove began to give a shrill whistle, making Yuugi jump slightly, before he went to work on making his friends some tea, doing his best to avoid eye contact. He paused as the sound of wooden chair legs scraping against a linoleum floor met his ears, along with somewhat unbalanced footsteps. He closed his eyes, giving a sharp, almost dismayed sigh as they made their way up the stairs.

He quickly turned to follow them. "Mai..." he breathed, "Come on, it's not that big of a deal, just... don't worry about it!" he called after the blonde as she quickly turned towards Yuugi's office space. "Really, it's a total mess in there – just a few drawings, there's really nothing to be so concerned about!"

Before she could open the door, he slipped in front of her, back pressing to the wood, looking almost as if he wanted to protect what lay beyond it. Mai's purple eyes widened slightly, before narrowing. "If it's nothing to worry about, why are you trying to hide it?" she questioned, expression stern.

Yuugi offered a sheepish grin, and a halfhearted shrug, watching as Jounouchi came up behind his wife, "I just... I-I don't really see why you make such a big deal out of this, that's all. It's just a hobby..." he argued weakly, resolve already faltering as violet locked onto amethyst. There was a mother's reprimand behind those irises, and Yuugi secretly wished her unborn child the best of luck beneath that gaze in the future.

He knew they were concerned, and for a good reason. All of their friends knew about Yuugi's little... creative jags, and they all knew what caused them. It was a way for Yuugi to lose himself and try to escape his emotions, and each time the moments of detachment became more and more intense. Honestly, he knew they all feared that one day he'd just... stop connecting entirely. Like before he had solved the Millennium Puzzle. And... sometimes...

Yuugi feared it, too.

So, that was why, with a hearty sigh of defeat, he dropped his arms to his sides, and stepped away from the door. Crossing his arms over his chest, and tapping a foot in slight anxiety, he waited for them to enter the threshold of the room. He paused when two twin gasps met his ears. "What?" he asked quietly, trying to peek over their shoulders in the doorway. Damn his lack of height! "_What_?" he prompted again, like an impatient child.

Strange as it may seem, Yuugi honestly had no memory of his creations during this particular jag – so he was rather in the dark at what was causing his friends' surprise. He gingerly slipped between them (which was easier said than done, considering Mai's belly), and looked into the mess that was his office. His eyes soon widened along with the others', mumbling something incoherent. Because... staring back at him, was..._ his_ face. The face he hadn't seen in a decade. The one he had lived with for what had seemed like an eternity, and the face that seemed to find it amusing to haunt Yuugi's mind for the remainder of his days.

Pencils, charcoal, paintings...

Every single medium, left a new perspective of the Pharaoh's face, frozen in time, as it had been within Yuugi's memory.

* * *

_Well, be sure to drop a review and tell me what you guys think, please! It really does help me get motivated to write more! And to make the stories better for you guys! ^-^  
_


	3. Faces From the Past

Just over 4K in the word count! I'm so proud of this chapter~! Yes, it's a bit shaky at some parts... but I still hope you guys like it :)

* * *

_**~ Chapter III ~**_

_Faces From the Past_

* * *

Nerves bundled themselves up into Yuugi's belly, twisting and turning his innards into a contorted mess of underlying panic and hysteria. He swallowed, but his throat seemed to have spontaneously dried, making the action difficult and even a bit painful. His hands grew warm and clammy, clenching themselves into fists, as he took a single, tentative step into the room... and then another.

And another.

And another.

His curled fingers came to his chest, covering over his torso, before his wrists crossed over one another just below his collarbone. The position was clearly defensive, almost as if Yuugi was approaching some sort of mad, blood-lusting enemy from the old days. Mai and Jounouchi were silent behind their shorter friend, knowing there was nothing they could really _do_ to help him at the moment. In one fluid movement, Yuugi's knees bent him into a kneeling position, all of the weight of his body balancing on the pads of his feet. A pale arm slowly reached out, to a stray paper that had fluttered to the ground at some point during his episode. It was a graphite still-life of _him_.

There were the hints of a rounded balcony floor, with a stone banister wrapped along the edge of it. And, seated there, was the majesty of the Forgotten Pharaoh. Sitting, leaning back with one arm behind him for support. One leg was bent at the knee, while another dangled over the banister's edge, partially hidden by the supporting pillars spaced evenly apart, by about a foot. His other arm rested over his bent leg, and his one visible eye was overlooking a vast landscape. The deserts of Egypt, which the man pictured had called home, once upon a time. There were many small structures of buildings and marketplace stands, past a tall wall that blocked off the royal palace from the peasant-folk towns outside. And then, far, far beyond that, were the mighty, rolling dunes of the desert. There was even hint of an oasis, far in the distance, marked by a few trees, though this was only a miniscule detail. Everything was perfectly shaded and toned. Yuugi could almost feel the warmth of the sun as he looked over one of his most recent art pieces. He could practically sense the crimson-red glow of the Pharaoh's sketched eyes, the caramelized shade of his tan skin, and the scent of spices and sand dancing on a breeze, as if he were standing there beside him.

Yuugi hugged it to his chest gently, before picking up another. This one was simple – a picture of the Pharaoh's spiritual self, holding the Puzzle in his hands.

Slowly, but surely, he gathered the stray pieces of art from the carpet, the desk, the bookshelf, until altogether, he held almost twenty different drawings in his arms. He set them carefully down in a pile, at the top left corner of his desk, before silently taking down three, fully-painted canvases and setting them against the wall opposite of his skylight – where the sun was beginning to shine – so they could dry more quickly. His movements were stiff and robotic as he folded up his easels, gathered his pencils, setting them either off to the side or in little piles within multiple drawers to organize later. Anything to distract himself from the void that had suddenly began to open in his chest.

He stopped, however, as a firm hand closed over his shoulders as Yuugi was gathering a set of paintbrushes into his anxiously sweating hands. He breathed in, then out, shoulders slowly slumping, as if the weight on them was too much for him to handle. "Yuugi...?" Jounouchi murmured quietly, concern and sympathy making his voice soft as down. "You alright, pal?"

The trinette barely turned his head as he threw a glance over his shoulder, taking in the somewhat sorrowed face of his best friend, and the confident, strong-willed woman he loved, who was still standing in the doorway a few feet behind them. He glanced back to Jou's amber eyes, partially hidden by sweeping, golden bangs. He tried to throw the man a smile, but it failed with only a simple twitch of his lips. He looked away again, dropping the objects in his grasp carelessly. His lilac gaze drifted to rest on the stack of papers. "I-I..." Yuugi swallowed as his voice cracked, and refused to continue. "I-I honestly... don't... _know_, Jou. It... I-It's been over _ten years_, and I still can't get him out of my head. I can't... _forget_. I don't _want_ to, but at the same time..."

The hands of his friend fell away slowly, and Yuugi planted his own against the desk's surface, almost as if he were trying to hold himself up. "I can't help it. I... I _miss_ him. I miss him a _lot_." His breath hitched, but Yuugi refused to cry. "I know I should be happy. The world is safe, the Shadow Games are gone. At-Atemu... is dead. After three thousand years, he _finally_ has the peace he deserves. But, I just can't..." His hands left the desk to snake up into his wild, tri-colored mane of hair. "I can't get him out of my head. Life just doesn't seem... _worth it_ anymore. Back then, I was depended on by others. The Pharaoh needed me, to help regain his memories, and cross over. The _world_ needed me, to help stop Necrophades and save it, even if no-one knew about it. But now... what's my purpose _now_?"

There was a huff. "Yer a real moron sometimes, ya' know dat?" the blonde behind him scoffed. Yuugi turned, fingers falling away from his head slowly. His eyes were confused, _wounded_, even. "You've got a purpose, Yuug'. If ya' didn't, ya' wouldn't _be_ here anymore." There was a cheerful, reassuring grin. "Now, c'mon. Do ya' think the Pharaoh would want ya' ta' be like this?" Yuugi just shook his head. "Well, then cheer up a little! Nobody said ya' had ta' find another reason ta' go off an' save the world again! Just take it one step at a time! Things'll get betta' eventually."

Yuugi folded his hands together, letting them hang at his front limply. His eyes fell to the floor, away from Katsuya's grinning face. "I... I guess so..." he mumbled quietly, before allowing a small smile to cross his lips. He could feel his spirits raise, if only a little bit. Before he knew what was happening, the hyperactive father-to-be swept his friend into a tight hug.

"There's that smile we all know an' love! Try ta' keep it that way, alright, pal?" he cheered, before gripping Yuugi into a headlock, and rubbing his knuckles roughly over the starfish-haired man's scalp. Yuugi yelped, unable to hold back a laugh, shouting multiple, giggling "_alrights_" to try and appease his best friend's worries. Mai laughed from behind them at the two friends' antics, calling them idiots with a fond smile.

They left Yuugi to quickly dress himself, and within about ten minutes, he had slipped into one of his favorite shirts – it was black, with little golden symbols of the Eye of Horus circling around the ends of his sleeves, and bottom of the waist. Two gold stripes lined above the Eyes, as well as his neckline. Well-fitted, dark jeans rested comfortably on his hips. Two, black-and-white checkered bands were placed over his wrists to complete the look. He still wore his leather-accented attire now and again, but that was usually in the warmer months of spring and summer. Leather, after all, wasn't a very good insulator. Not well-equipped for the late autumn weather that Domino City was receiving these months.

He'd grab a jacket to put on later.

He passed a brush over his mounds of star-shaped hair, cleaned his teeth, and finished cleaning off most of the traces of his artistic escapade from his pale skin. When he returned to the downstairs, where his friends were waiting, he found Mai seated in a chair, and Jounouchi on his knees in front of her. Three steaming mugs of tea had been made, and the two soon-to-be parents were grinning with excitement. Jou had a hand over Mai's growing belly. Yuugi tipped his head to one side, leaning against the entryway. The wooden frame gave a soft creak below his shifting weight.

He jumped as Mai quickly glanced in his direction. "Come here, Hun'! The baby's kicking!" she said excitedly, with a gesture of her hand for Yuugi to come closer. The young man gave a smile and a gentle laugh, as he quickly walked over. She motioned for him to take a position similar to Jounouchi's, before gently grabbing his hand, and leading it to her lower abdomen, resting right next to her husband's. Yuugi waited for a moment.

There it was! A delicate, yet firm push up against the palm of his hand. He gave a breathless chuckle. "Oh, wow," he murmured, rather at a loss for words. He'd never witnessed, let alone felt, something like this before. "That's... really cool." Jounouchi gave a giddy grin from beside him, and Yuugi moved his hand away so his friend could feel his child move more easily. "Do you know what sex they're going to be yet?"

Mai shook her head. "We're not going to find out until he – or she – is born." She gave a playful wink. "It's more exciting that way!"

The two shared a chuckle. Jounouchi, meanwhile, had both of his palms laying gently over his wife's pregnant belly, eyes wide and practically _sparkling_ with wonder. "That's my kid..." he muttered quietly, "That's my little girl!"

"Or boy," Yuugi interjected politely.

"Nah, she's gotta be a girl. I can feel it," the blonde insisted, a misty glaze coming over his eyes, "She's gonna be as strong and beautiful as her mom is." Moisture prickled at his lashes.

Yuugi nearly blanched. "Jou-kun... A-Are you _crying_?" he said with a grin. Jou quickly denied it, swiping at his eyes with an arm.

"N-Nah, man, jus' got somethin' in my eye, that's all," he managed with a sniff.

Yuugi smiled, patting his pal's shoulder in a supportive gesture. He paused, however, when a knock sounded at the door. He tilted his head curiously to one side, a thoughtful frown pulling at his lips. "Now, who could that be?" he questioned out loud. He glanced to his friends, still caught up in the moment, before excusing himself. He stood from his kneeling position, before making his way down the hall. Another three, sharp knocks sounded. "Coming!" Yuugi called, just as he reached out to unlock the door. He peeked outside, before opening the door wider with a smile. "Honda-kun!"

The young man was standing outside, offering the smallest of smiles to his high-school friend. He had hardly changed since the times they spent together, when Atemu was still around. His skin was still sun-kissed in hue, eyes still holding a spark of mischief. Now, however, his brown hair was cut in a flat plane against his head, rather than being gelled up into a spike. That, and an air of authority radiated around him. That old prankster's spirit was now well-trained, and disciplined. Yuugi glanced over the man's uniform, badge pinned over his heart. "Did you just get off work? Mai and Jounouchi-kun are over – would you like to come inside?"

"Oi, Honda! Long time, no see, man!" called a certain blonde from farther down the hall. He and Mai, having heard Yuugi's delighted exclamation of their friend's name, had come to give their own greetings. "How've ya' been? Stop by fer a visit?"

Honda offered a kind smile, but his eyes were cold and serious. "It's nice to see you three again," said the officer, "But I'm still on-duty. Actually, Yuugi..." His eyes fell to the shortest of the four young adults, who couldn't help but stiffen under the suddenly scrutinizing gaze. "I'm here to take you down to the station."

The trio's eyes widened, but amethyst were the largest and most shocked, of them all. "Wh-What? Why? Is something... wrong?" Honda pursed his lips slightly.

"You could... say that. Yes and no." Yuugi blinked, looking a little unsure. "It's important, either way. So, if you wouldn't mind..." He moved to the side, motioning to his patrol car, which was parked at the curb, with a little jerk of his head. He glanced to the married couple, before turning to leave, assuming Yuugi would be instep behind him. "And _only_ you, please. You can call the others down later, if you want."

The former duelist stammered incoherent syllables for a moment, his mind trying to catch up to the situation. "Wait, wait, wait," he babbled, causing Honda to glance to the smaller with a slightly exasperated look. "Explain to me what's going on, here. _Why_, exactly, am I going to the police station? Am I... under arrest, or something?"

Hiroto sighed quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose, as if he were annoyed. But, in the man's dark eyes, Yuugi could only see confusion, maybe even a trace of _fear_. "There's... someone waiting for you."

It was all he said, before walking away once again. Yuugi stood there for a few seconds, before tossing Mai and Katsuya a hopeless look. He mouthed a quick apology, before shrugging, and hurrying to catch up to his rather absent friend. Yuugi glanced at him when the back door was held open, a gesture for Yuugi to take a seat. "Protocol," was all the man said, before the star-haired youth nodded, and languidly climbed into the backseat. He couldn't help but to glanced around, seeing a few curious faces peering out from their doorways and windows from neighboring homes. He couldn't help but to flush with embarrassment. Usually, he wasn't one to particularly care when it came to what others thought about him, nor was he a horribly business-oriented man. But seeing the city's quiet, reserved game shop owner – not to mention the former King of Duelists! – guided into the back of a police cruiser was sure to spread some nasty rumors... and hurt the _Kame' Game Shop_, in the process. That shop had been his grandfather's pride and joy! He'd be _damned_ if he let a little misunderstanding bring the home-run business under!

Honda was silent the entire drive, blatantly ignoring Yuugi's attempts at questioning him. He'd just reply with a quiet "_you'll understand when we get there._" Now, don't get him wrong – though Yuugi and Honda hadn't necessarily been... as close, as they had been to their other companions, Yuugi still trusted the man. He knew Honda would never try to set him up, or hurt him purposefully. But... being brought down to a police station, without so much as a word to _why_ was a very scary, intimidating situation. It'd make anyone's head spin with all sorts of conspiracies, and worst-case scenarios!

And anyways, what was this supposed thing that was "_waiting for him_"? He'd put his best bet on it being a person, but _who_? He couldn't really think of anyone wanting to get into contact with him so desperately, that they'd drag Domino's police force into the situation. Ryou and the Ishtars – and Ishizu didn't even live that far away, anymore! – were just a phone call away, as were Anzu and Ryuuji, in America. It obviously wasn't Jounouchi, Mai, or Honda. Or Shizuka, for that matter. She simply could have asked Jou to pass on any sort of message to him. Kaiba and his little brother didn't seem to give a rat's ass about his well-being in any form of the phrase, so they were out of the question. He didn't have any surviving family (at least, no-one that he knew about), and... he was _pretty_ sure that nobody from his dueling days wanted to talk to them. Atemu _did_ kind of wipe the floors with them...

The spirit wasn't exactly the kindest, nor most modest of people, upon his awakening.

He couldn't help but to stiffen slightly. What? Was this something about what had happened when his Yami had first been released from the Puzzle? Was this someone a friend or family member to Ushio, the bully that Atem had driven insane? Or that jerk who had stolen his high-school class' spot for the culture festival, but had then been burned by the spirit for revenge?

He shook his head sharply, mentally reprimanding himself. _No – of course not, you idiot! Those were all recorded as accidents, or health-related causes! Besides, Atemu never left a trace behind him when he used my body as a vessel – let alone, allow himself... or... myself, to be seen. Besides, that was __**ages**__ ago! Why would someone bother looking into it after all of this time?_

Yuugi leaned back, crossing one leg over the other for comfort. His arms crossed in front of his chest, and thoughtfully stern expression on his face. Had he been able to see himself at that moment, he would have had a hard time distinguishing who was sitting there – himself, or the spirit that he had once shared a body with.

He let his eyes cast out the window, watching as the streets of the sleepy, bayside community passed by in a blur of pedestrians, traffic lights, roadway signs, and office buildings. He rested his head against the glass as his thoughts began to wander, back to earlier that morning. He let a slow breath leave his lungs, eyes becoming lidded.

He hadn't seen that face in over a decade. Atem had never shown up in his drawings, or flashbacks. Even in the best of dreams, or worst of nightmares, the Pharaoh had never made a single appearance. Almost as if his subconscious were trying to suppress the thoughts of him. After all, he'd never see him again, so why bother dwelling in the past, to miss someone who's body had died over three thousand years ago? Someone who... probably wouldn't spare a second more than necessary to remember him. He _was_ in the Afterlife. An eternity without pain or suffering. With his family, and friends from Khemet. He wouldn't have any need to try and remember the ones he left on Earth, because he wasn't alone anymore. So... why...?

The trinette was quickly jarred from his thoughts as the vehicle he was seated in came to a stop. He blinked, glancing around, as Honda exited the cruiser, and stepped around to let Yuugi out, seeing as he couldn't open it from the inside. Yuugi stood, and took a moment to stretch, arms arching over his head, before falling back down to his sides. He was silent, as his friend quickly led him inside. He let his eyes wander, darting around the organized space, flitting aimlessly over a few other officers that we on-duty. He looked ahead of them – it seemed he was being led to a small room in the back of the building. There was just... a single door, with a small square of glass to look into at an approximate eye-level. He tried to look past his friend to peer inside, but Honda stopped, turning to face Yuugi before he would let them enter.

He rubbed his neck, glancing away momentarily – body language that Yuugi knew was usually controlled by stress of discomfort. "Yuug'..." he murmured, "There, uh... there isn't much I can do to explain the situation to you, but I just... when you go inside, just... don't freak out, alright?"

Yuugi's brows furrowed in worry, maybe a little bit of fear, at the man's odd tone, and refusal to look the smaller male in the eyes. "Er... al-alright," he mumbled, before Honda turned the door handle, and led Yuugi inside.

The room was rather simple – it had eggshell-white walls, and a brown, carpeted floor. On the wall to his left, there was another door, with a large stretch of one-way glass. He could see a silhouette or two behind it, but that was it. There was also, in the middle of the room, an elongated table with one chair on either side of it. A little boy was seated in one of them.

And that's when his inspection, as well as his feet, came to an abrupt halt. Amethyst eyes widened until they ached, looking as if they were about to pop straight from his skull. Yuugi felt his lungs hitch painfully, as the ability to breathe decided to leave him for a moment. His face quickly went pale, to the point where he saw alarm flash in Honda's dark gaze. His hands began to tremble. "N-No... This... Th-This is... impossible!" his voice said in a small whisper.

The little boy was dressed in a simple, dark red t-shirt, which turned into a dark burgundy color at the collar and ends of the sleeves, as well as light tan shorts and dark sneakers. Rich, naturally tanned skin. Wild, spiked hair, with an ebony base, maroon ends, and golden bangs that clustered over his face, hiding it partially. A few strands shot up into his spikes, like lightning bolts.

At his whisper, the child looked up, and over in his direction. Astonished, disbelieving amethyst clashed with wide, overjoyed crimson. Yuugi feared he would faint on-the-spot. His legs grew weak, to the point where he actually had to seat himself on his knees, with a rather worried Honda guiding him carefully.

He swallowed thickly, the child still openly staring at him. "A... At-Atemu?" he whispered, feeling his eyes itch with a threat of tears.

The boy gave a dazzling, white-toothed smile, quickly clambering out of the chair, and running over towards Yuugi as fast as his little legs would take him.

With a shrill, happy cry of "_Aibou_!", little Atem had flung himself at Yuugi's kneeling form, his short arms coming to circle tightly over the pale man's neck. Yuugi felt a startled gasp escape his lips as he felt the child-version of his beloved Pharaoh actually _touching him_. The was actual, tangible _flesh and bone_ in those delicate arms, that little body. He could feel the warmth seeping through his shirt. The way his chest moved with each, breathy giggle.

The pulse that beat in his chest.

Yuugi shivered, before his arms slowly crossed over the young one's back. The touch was fleeting, hesitant, almost as if he were frightened that this was some sort of illusion. That the young Atemu would vanish in a puff of smoke any moment now. And, honestly, he _was_ afraid of that happening.

But, no. Atem didn't vanish. He didn't disappear in his hold. In fact, his arms squeezed even more tightly around Yuugi, snuggling closer to his warmth. Yuugi felt his eyes sting as moisture gathered in them. _How is this possible? How... How can you be here? I saw you leave! I-I watched you walk away..._

Before he could stop himself, a sob escaped Yuugi's chest, and his arms embraced the child in his grasp more firmly, one crossing over the small of his back, another over his shoulders. Holding, cradling Atemu close, as if he were scared to let go. His eyes squeezed shut, as a string of tears trickled down his left cheek. His body shuddered lightly with poorly-stifled tears. "At-Atem... Atemu..." he wept quietly, unsure if he should smile, or just sob his heart out. The boy's only reply was to give a happy, contented little hum, and snuggled his face into the crook of Yuugi's neck.

How was this possible? What made it happen? Who was responsible? Where did he come from? When did he suddenly... return from the dead? And, the biggest question of all...

_Why_?

All these questions, and possibilities swirling through his mind. All the answers he didn't know, but wanted to.

But... for now, it really didn't matter all that much to him. Not one bit. Because, for now, child or otherwise, Yuugi was finally able to feel the embrace of the one he had once shared his life with, in every sense of the term. His school, his friends, his family. His body, mind, heart, and soul.

Now he was here. And, finally, Yuugi felt that missing piece of him slide into place.

Like a puzzle finished for the very first time, Yuugi felt complete.

His wish had been granted.


	4. Coming Home

_Hey, everyone! Wow, it's been a while, hasn't it? So, so, so sorry for taking so long with this! But, hey, I hit an inspirational vein this weekend, so yay! Updates for all! XD_

_Sorry this chapter is a little rambling or boring... I had to get Atem's little "backstory", so to speak, out of the way. And, I mean, what Yuugi encounters in the chapter (you probably already know, but hey, no spoilers here. So... read and find out! XD) is a really big deal/decision to make! So I feel it was only necessary. Well, that's enough drawling from me, so continue onwards and enjoy the chapter!_

_~Fallen_

* * *

**_~ Chapter IV ~  
_**

_Coming Home  
_

* * *

"So, let me get this straight... you have... absolutely _no_ idea on how he even _got_ here?" Yuugi drawled slowly, trying to make some sort of sense of the current situation. He had since been removed from what he had pinned as an interrogation room, of sorts, and was now in the space that had been hidden behind a one-way window. One of the officers, whom he had seen the silhouette of upon first entering, was now seated across the table from the young Atem, trying to interact with him. Possibly to be a distraction.

Yuugi felt himself subconsciously shift on the balls of his feet, glancing out the elongated window, with a sense that he could only pin as _longing_ thrumming beneath his skin. After Atemu's embrace had ended, Honda had pulled the young adult into the viewing room mere moments after, much to the pair's extreme disappointment. The young one had _insisted_ on "being with his Aibou", and had seemed ready to start clinging onto Yuugi's legs, before the kind-spirited woman who was out there now had offered to play a few games with the child as an "apology" for making Yuugi leave.

At the moment, the officer seemed to have magically produced a pack of playing cards from her person, and they were now deeply engrossed in a game of War. The twenty-seven-year-old smiled at a brief memory, of when he and his grandfather had played the game in his early youth. Each person received half of the deck, and had to simultaneously flip over the top card on the miniature pile. Whomever had the card with the highest value, received both as a prize. If the values were the same, each player had to place three cards face-down as a bidding. Then, they declared "war", and played the next card that lay on top of their mini-deck, and again, the one with the highest value won all cards as a reward. When all cards were used, the player's earnings were shuffled, and recycled. The point was to deplete one another's deck to zero. Whoever won over the entire deck was the victor.

The softest of smiles formed on his face, as he saw Atemu throw up his small hands with a victorious sound, as he won the draw, and reaped his earnings with pride glowing in his eyes. But, he did not gloat, and wasn't arrogant about it. Instead, Yuugi heard his bell-like voice offer only encouragements to the young woman he was playing against, assuring her she'd win the next one. She chuckled, and thanked Atemu for believing in her, before they continued. Yuugi almost laughed at the intensity on Atemu's face, as their cards matched in value, and War was declared. He lost this one, but took it with grace and a sense of maturity that seemed fairly unbecoming of one his age. _Any other child,_ Yuugi thought with admiration, _and they probably would have been throwing a tantrum over pride right now. Even as a young boy, he still has that... regal, gratifying aura about him._

He glanced back to Honda when he heard the other give a heavy sigh. "No...? Well, yes, but... not entirely," he began, and Yuugi turned to face him, as well as the second (_third?_ he absently mused) police officer that had joined them. He blinked as the middle-aged male, with a finely-trimmed head and beard of slightly-grayed, chestnut hair and dark eyes, plopped a manilla file-folder on the long table, lined in front of the glass, with two seats standing beside it. Honda leaned slightly on the back of one of them, and Yuugi eyed the folder curiously. Someone gave a motion of permission, and the former duelist quietly seated himself, before flipping the top away from the contents hidden inside.

Sadness filled him after his eyes skimmed over a particular document...

"He's an orphan," Yuugi observed, puffing a long breath from his cheeks, and leaning back in his chair.

"According to his files, Atem's been in the system of a local adoption agency since sometime within the past year or so," the brunette explained as Yuugi glanced over the very professional-looking document, with the mugshot of a slightly-younger-looking Atemu attached to it by a paperclip. His expression was blank, and Yuugi found worry spiking in his chest at the way his eyes seemed to be lacking a certain, lively glimmer in their ruby depths. "He's been with a few foster families, but he was always sent back to the center within about... five weeks, on average. Complaints about unruly behavior, not acting civil with other family members, and something about..." he trailed off, and Yuugi glanced up, his confused gaze matched with Honda's own. "To put simply... uh... a disruptively over-active imagination, and one family said something about... apparent visual and auditory hallucinations?" He waved a hand, almost dismissively, but Yuugi felt a deep worry sink in his chest. "Either way, something about his mentality or mannerisms... seemed to really put the parents off, and had them deciding to not adopt. There's nothing in his medical history to attribute to the reason, and he checks out as completely sound mentally. So, we think it might have just been a ruse to dump the kid back at the center."

Sympathy flickered in Honda's gaze, and Yuugi went back to browsing the papers at his hands, removing a few and gently laying them off to the side as he read. "He was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and moved to Japan with his parents two years ago. They lived in Aizuwakamatsu, in the Fukushima Prefecture before his mother and father were both killed in an accident, two weeks before his admittance into a care institution in the city of Fukushima." There was a pause, and Yuugi slowly moved Atem's documents back into their file, making sure they were properly organized. "But, four days ago, we were contacted by the region's police force, saying that he'd run away about... five days before the call. People were told to keep an eye out for him, and some pedestrians reported seeing a kid matching Atem's description either walking around in the city, or sneaking onto transit lines, and they had a reason to believe that he was headed for Domino City, or a town nearby."

Honda hummed, "Lo and behold, we find him sitting outside the door of the station this morning. Says he's been there since late in the evening, after everyone went home for the night." He stopped again, rubbing his neck with a somewhat saddened expression. "Poor kid. He must have slept out there. And God knows how cold the nights have been this past month. I'm honestly surprised he didn't get sick, or end up freezing to death, for that matter."

Yuugi's hands suddenly faltered, and his eyes widened slightly. He could feel the blood drain away from his face.

Domino Police received a call four days ago. Which had been five after Atemu ran away. Altogether, nine days. Which was when...

_Oh, Gods, the meteor shower!_ his head screamed, and Yuugi had to keep himself from choking. At the skeptical glance he received from the two officers at his sudden pallor, he managed to stammer, "N-Nine days, stuck out in the cold?" he murmured, hoping it would be a good enough excuse to play his developing wariness, "He probably hasn't had a bath or a warm meal ever since he left the care center..." The mental image of little Atem, shivering out in the cold, with unsuitable clothing and an empty tummy, _for nine days_, made Yuugi's gut twist unpleasantly. "The poor thing..." he whispered, again looking out of the one-way glass to observe the little boy.

"I got him a few snacks from a vending machine down the hall to hold him off, but I haven't had time to run down to someplace that could offer something, y'know, _sustaining_ yet."

Now that he was looking, there was a certain... uncleanliness to the boy's appearance. His shirt and shorts had a few, dirty smudges on their fabric, and a few sections on his visible skin were discolored, compared to the rest of his even, Egyptian tan. That, and the raven-and-red tresses of his hair... _did_ look a tad greasy, and unkempt. And though the child was obviously much happier and excited than he must have been beforehand, his eyes still held a deep fatigue to them.

The sight made Yuugi's heart hurt.

"So why are you telling _me_ all of this?" he asked suddenly, gaze still fixated to the five-year-old outside.

He didn't notice the look that his high-school friend shot his coworker, nor the brief flash of understanding in the other's gaze. The only reason he noticed the nameless man had actually left was because Atemu's eyes had shot up towards the opening door with _so much excitement_, only for his face to fall into a displeased pout moments later, when he found out that the person exiting the room wasn't his _aibou_. Gods, how Yuugi wished he could just... go out there again, and hug the life from the poor little thing. Buy him a meal from a local fast-food restaurant, or something. And give him a bath, or at the very least something clean to wear.

There was a small sigh behind him. "Because..." Honda murmured, sounding a tad unsure of himself, "We – well, _I_ – was hoping... that you might be interested... i-in adopting him."

Yuugi's eyes widened to the size of saucers, and he whipped around in his seat so fast, it actually _hurt_. "_What_?" he demanded, voice going shrill in shock, and Honda gave a small wince, "H-Honda, what in Ra's name makes you think that _I_, of _all people_, could possibly ra-raise a child?" Yuugi continued in a stammering rush, though his voice had lowered some. His hand was in an anxious vice-grip over the back of the chair, knuckles gone white with the strength of his hold. "I'm a single, twenty-seven-year-old only-child, the retired champion for a _children's card game,_ with no education outside of a high-school diploma, and absolutely _no plans_ for his future! I get my money by running an out-of-home game shop, for Christ's sake! What could _possibly_ make me eligible enough to raise a five-year-old, runaway orphan? I know absolutely _nothing_ about caring for a child! How am I supposed to support him, when I can hardly even care for myself half of the time?!"

Honda's gaze became serious, and his voice was stern when he spoke. "Yuugi, you know as well as I do, that if this really _is_ him-" and they both knew, without the shadow of a doubt, that it _was_ "-then there is no way in nine hells that that kid is going to let himself be put with another family. This little, five-year-old kid, with no family, and nowhere else to go, who you've apparently never even _seen_ before, who just _magically_ recognized you and greeted you as if you've been in his life since the day he was born?"

Yuugi allowed the tensity in his limbs to lessen some, and he sighed, looking at the floor.

Honda did the same. There was a brief stretch of silence, before, "He... asked for you, you know."

Amethyst eyes blinked in surprise. They glanced over to the officer. "Wh... What?"

Their gazes met, and Yuugi was taken aback by the _intensity_ that lay within them. "He asked for you," the man repeated, "First thing he said when I got him settled down in here. '_Do you know where Aibou is? I need to find him_.' That was _the first thing_ that came out of his mouth. We weren't even in here for a full minute yet! I tried to ask him about... about what happened, before, but..." Yuugi's breath caught. There was another sigh, and Honda shook his head. "He doesn't... remember it. He doesn't remember us, or even _you_, but he _does_, at the same time."

Yuugi raked his fingers up through the front of his hair at that little tidbit of information, blowing air past his cheeks. The situation threatened to overwhelm him. It just _didn't make any sense_.

He made sure Honda was aware of that.

"I know it doesn't," the slightly-older male replied, sounding just as lost as Yuugi felt, "It makes absolutely no sense, and it's impossible, and _this shouldn't be happening_, but it is, and it's just _so messed up_. It's happening, and he's here even though he's supposed to be _dead_, only now he's just a mindless little kid without any family and no-one to take him in." Yuugi winced at the complete _agony_ in his friend's tone. His heart clenched at the thought of that.

Atemu, spirit or otherwise, was an orphan. As far as they knew, he didn't have any extended family, and he seemed hellbent on _not_ being adopted by any of his foster families thus far.

"Yuugi... I hate to push all of this on you like this, but... You and Atemu have history, whether this form of him can remember what happened, or not. You know him better than anyone else could ever dream of, and I think you and I both know that he won't be settled with another family. He _wants_ to be a part of yours, and I know that it will probably be difficult for you... but..."

_No shit_, Yuugi thought, tilting his head back slightly, and squeezing his eyes shut. _Gods above... I know I said I'd be grateful for whatever I was given, but... Of all things, I didn't expect **this** to be my reply! How can I possibly raise him, when I am the way I am? I can hardly care for myself half of the time!_ he mentally repeated. _But... what Honda's saying is true... I doubt Atemu would let himself be adopted by another family. And when he's a legal adult, he'll be homeless, maybe even without a job or even friends to go to for help. His entire childhood... would be utterly **horrible**._

Yuugi's heart clenched at the thought of that.

"But, Yuugi..." Honda continued solemnly, "If you don't take him in, he's going to be stuck in an orphanage. And when he turns eighteen, he's gonna be kicked the curb with no connections, no-one to turn to, and nowhere to go. _Again_. He'll be miserable!"

He swallowed painfully, trying to withhold the emotion that swelled up in his chest. "You think I don't _know_ that?" he asked sharply, though his tone was hushed. His eyes began to burn with the threat of tears, though Yuugi would _not_ allow himself to cry. He _wouldn't_. "Honda, believe me, you have _no idea_ how happy I am to see Atemu again... Child or not, Gods, when I saw him I could have _flown_. I'm so, so happy to be able to have others that are actually able to _see_ him... and... and finally be hugged by him. But..." He inhaled sharply, "How can I take him in, and help him grow, when I haven't grown up, myself?"

He could sense the other's confusion, but continued before a single syllable could be uttered. "Every night, I have these... these _horrible_ dreams of what... of what happened to all of us. Every day just feels like a giant blur, like I'm walking in a room full of smoke and _I can't breathe_, I can't function properly. There are episodes, where I spend days at a time, hardly able to get out of bed, and spending most my time sulking around the house on the rare chance I can actually be motivated enough get up and eat something. I have these crazy memory blanks, where I apparently do all of these things, but I can't remember doing it! Hell, this morning, I spent _four hours_, pretty much making a fucking _art gallery_ and I can't remember a single _second_ of it! Who's to say I won't neglect him or accidentally do something awful when that happens? That's not the kind of house a child should grow up in! He doesn't _deserve_ that, Hiroto!"

Yuugi quickly turned away as his throat closed up around a sob as it tried to shoot its way from his lungs. He pressed a hand firmly to his neck to quell the sound, and ease the sudden knot that had formed there, momentarily disrupting his ability to breathe right. The force of it, however, couldn't be stopped, making the young man's shoulders give a light tremble. "Whether Atem remembers it or not, I _do_, Honda... And I don't want to end up forcing the burden of those memories on him all over again – unintentionally or otherwise. Let alone, as a five-year-old who can hardly even make sense of the world as it is. I-I can't... _do that_ to him... after all he had to go through before... I-I don't have the right to..." he shivered, voice scarcely audible, "Ra knows he deserves _so much more_ than that..."

Honda's eyes flashed with a mixture of concern and sympathy. Maybe even a bit of... sorrow. Grief, even. "Yuug'..." he murmured, and a supportive hand clasped over his shoulder, squeezing to get the other's undivided attention, "If anyone were to have the _right_ to care for the Pharaoh in his next life, it would be _you_. You freed him from the Millennium Puzzle. You let his soul exist inside your body, and you shared your life with him. You forgave him no matter what it was he did to you, or your friends, or even your _enemies_, and gave a lost spirit his name and his memories. Now you've got a second chance at life! Not just the Pharaoh. _Both_ of you. You've stuck by him before, Yuugi, no matter what. Now he needs someone to do that for him again, more than he ever did before." Yuugi glanced up to Honda, uncertainty and even a touch of... fear, in his haunted, violet eyes. He was given another squeeze of the shoulder, and a reassuring grin.

"Besides," he added, much more cheerfully, "It's not like you'd be alone in all of this! You _do_ have friends, y'know! I'd be more than happy to help you out if you needed it, and I'm sure Jou and Mai would do the same. Then there's Ishtar-san. I mean, her family _did_ protect the Pharaoh's tomb before you helped send him off to the Afterlife. _And_, she has a kid of her own around the same age! After all you've done for the people in your life, why _wouldn't_ they want to help you two out?"

There was a moment of silence, before it was broken by the victorious cheer of a youthful voice, on the other side of the one-way window. Yuugi glanced up sharply, to see the young Atemu laughing and grinning with a warm glow of pride surrounding him. The woman across the table from him was chuckling fondly, offering a polite applause. Yuugi noticed the full stack of playing cards in front of the gleeful boy.

I appeared as if Atem had won the game.

The sight made Yuugi smile, and his demeanor just seemed to become _brighter_. Less... troubled.

The expression, in turn, reflected across Honda's features, as well. "You can help each other grow," he insisted quietly, following Yuugi's gaze. Atem was now thanking the young woman for playing with him, and asking if she wanted a rematch.

"_You're gonna win this time! I know you can do it!_" they heard him encourage when she graciously accepted, making them chuckle. Yuugi's visage became... distant, just for a few moments. When he saw the room's second door open. The man from before had reappeared, with a small stack of papers in his possession. Yuugi swallowed his nerves, able to guess what they were regarding.

"...Okay," he decided finally, and he heard Honda laugh, and quite literally sweeping him up into a hug. Yuugi grunted and gave a surprised shout as the taller man pulled a familiar move – he gripped the smaller in a headlock, and proceeded to grind his knuckles into his scalp. "Ugh, alright, alright, already!" the trinette protested, squirming away. He rubbed at his abused head gingerly, grumbling in spite of the nervously-optimistic grin on his face. "Geez, what _is_ it with you and Jou and the attacking my head?" Honda just snickered, mischief flashing in his eyes.

"Eh, it's all that hair. Makes it more fun!" Then, his expression softened into one of gratitude. "Thank you, Yuugi. I know you won't regret this. And... neither will whoever decided he was meant to come here."

There was a knock on the door, and Honda called the other in. Yuugi accepted the documents, as well as a pen from the officer. Honda continued to elaborate as his shorter friend read over the text, signing and filling out information where it was needed. "Usually, we don't send the kid home with the person adopting them until after everything's been checked out, and they're deemed adoption-ready, but... I think we can make an exception this one time, considering there isn't a place for him stay in the immediate area. And, I, uh... might have already sent in a good part of your information already."

Yuugi gave him a befuddled, exasperated look. "Are you sure that's... y'know, _legal_?" he snorted with a touch of amusement. Honda's coworker chortled softly, but Yuugi assumed he had already explained the situation to the man (or, at least, as much as he could without sounding like a raving lunatic), because he seemed to already hold a... very vague understanding on what was occurring in front of him.

"Bah, they don't have to know about that. I mean, the sooner the tyke has a place to stay, the better, right? I'm sure he could use a good meal and a hot bath. Not to mention an actual _bed_ to sleep in has got to feel like Nirvana for him at this point. Plus, hey, I can just put in a good word for you to speed things along. You're a good person, and practically everyone in Domino knows that, by now." Honda grinned, looking more excited for this than Yuugi did, "I'll send it to them for you. I'm sure everything will be fine!"

When Yuugi finished his part, signing the final line of text on the pile of legal documents with a somewhat-shaking flourish, he stood up straight, and cracked his knuckles. He spun his wrist in slow circles, relaxing the writing cramp from his hand, before pausing to shake hands with Honda, curt and business-like, though they both saw the humor behind the action.

Yuugi smiled at him. "Thank you, Honda-kun."

It was returned in full. "No, thank _you_, Yuugi. I know you'll be glad you did this." Then he added, "And if you need _anything_, you know who to call."

Yuugi gave a curt nod, before stepping past the two policemen, and into the room where Atemu and the female officer sat. As soon as the tri-color-haired adult emerged, there was a delighted cry of "_Aiiiibou!_" from the room's youngest occupant. Next thing Yuugi knew, a smallish mass of human had bundled into his waist, and two frail arms looped around his waist. He grunted lightly from the impact, and laughed as wide, bright red eyes gleamed up at him like that of a puppy's. Yuugi's hand fell to Atem's head, his slender fingers gently brushing through the tangled, dirty locks. The child's eyelids fluttered, a look of relaxation coming over his rounded features as the action calmed him down. "Are we gonna go home now, Aibou?" he half-sighed, half-yawned. Sympathy and concern filled the paler trinette at the realization of just _how_ tired the kid was.

Yuugi smiled gently down at him, picking up Atemu when he held up his arms, a hopeful gleam in his eyes. The boy beamed, but gave a large yawn as he finally allowed himself to relax, feeling safe and protected as Yuugi held him in his arms. It was a little bit difficult, considering Yuugi wasn't used to holding children, obviously, but he eventually helped Atemu shift into a comfortable position in his grasp, that would make it easy for him to hold and carry around.

Honda came out of the door behind him. "C'mon," he said, grinning in amusement when he saw Atem, already nestled in Yuugi's hold, his head tucked into the bend of the other's shoulder, "I texted Jou, told him you're gonna need some help. I'll drive you back to the Shop, 'kay?"

Yuugi nodded, before giving a contented hum, feeling completely at peace.

"Yes, Até..." the orchid-eyed adult murmured to his child. "We're going home."

* * *

_Leave a review and tell me what you think! I love hearing(reading) what you all have to say, and it really motivates me! :)_

* * *

_One more note! I've started a Tumblr! I'm pretty green with blogging, but hey, it should be fun. Feel free to say hi! X3_

_Post this into your browser, if you're interested (just remove the spaces :P):_

_ xxfallenangel13x .tumblr .com_


	5. Settling In

_Wow. It's been a while for this one, hasn't it? Sorry guys! I admit that this one kinda slipped down the priority list... I've been meaning to finish this chapter for **ages**, but school and other fics kept making me forget! D: But, hey, here it is! And I must say, the end was **so** much fun to write! I honestly almost left it off at the second page break, but I decided we'd need some better closure for this fluffy thing. Plus - more for you guys to read. Think of it as a profuse apologizing for forgetting about all the lovelies out there who were waiting me to get off of my ass and update this story. *laughs*_

_Well, I hope you all enjoy! Take a few minutes to tell me what you think once you're done, please?_

* * *

**_~ Chapter V ~  
_**

_Settling In_

* * *

The ride back to his home-and-workplace was relatively quiet. Yuugi was seated in the back of Honda's police cruiser, going at a moderate speed just below the street's limit, with only a little bit of traffic to deal with. Domino _was_ quite small, compared to other bay-side cities in Japan, so he wasn't too concerned about it. The only noise that offered to break the silence, was the muted static-and-chatter that would crackle through the police scanner every now and again up front, and the soft breathing (with the occasional, also-soft snore here and there) from Atemu, as he rested peacefully in the former-duelist's lap. He'd refused to sit anywhere in the vehicle that was not already covered by some area of Yuugi's body – namely, his lap, considering it was the easiest place of him to take a nap on.

The pale man inhaled, and breathed a long, quiet sigh through his nose, head gradually leaning more and more to the side until his cheek rested lightly over the mounds of spiky hair that had been tickling at his neck a few minutes ago. The child's head was placed snugly against Yuugi's chest, just below his neck, with one arm holding to a spot on the adult's back. The other, lay limply over his partially-folded legs. Atem had slipped off his shoes to "avoid getting his Aibou all dirty", and they now sat unused on the floor next to Yuugi's own (still on his feet, of course).

Yuugi shifted carefully, his knees spread slightly to accommodate the five-year-old's legs and rear in their half-fetal position, one arm supporting his small back, with the hand of that same arm holding his neck gently, to keep his head from moving around too much. His blank, rather tired purple gaze shifted, to focus on that peaceful, sleeping face. The faintest trace of a smile pulled at his lips, before his sights drifted outside. The skies were overcast with light, dove-gray clouds, promising rain and chilly wind by later that evening.

His eyes closed, and another breath escaped his lungs. _I have absolutely **no** idea on what you think this is going to do, or what you may have planned for us... I don't even know if I'll make a suitable parent for him. But... if he's here now, it must be with a good reason. So I promise that I will try my best, to give him a suitable home, and to help him grow up to be the best person he can possibly be._

He wasn't speaking to anyone in particular. Be it Ra, another god or deity, his parents, or his grandfather. He was just... wishing. Praying, that beyond all shadow of a doubt, that he would be able to bring up the incarnation of the spirit he had once shared his life with. Maybe even loved.

_Well,_ he mused silently, unconsciously shifting to hold the child closer, eyes opening halfway, _I guess, this time... at least he'll be able to experience all the things he couldn't when he was my other self..._

A more complete smile made its way to his face. Yuugi liked the thought of that.

_He can be his own person now._

* * *

By the time Honda reached the Shop, Yuugi was in a half-asleep daze in the backseat, with Atemu still snoozing soundly in his arms. When the tires rolled to a stop, he could feel the area around him shift and fall motionless, which was more than enough to tell the man it was time to wake up. Even if that idea didn't really appeal to him at the moment. In all honesty, he would've been more than happy to just lay down and spend the rest of the day with the younger version of the Pharaoh snuggled away in his grasp.

_But,_ he told himself in retaliation, giving a quiet yawn as his eyelids fluttered open, _you have to take care of Atemu. He needs food and clothing, and an actual **bed** to sleep in tonight._ His fingers absently combed their way up through that mass of tri-colored hair. It was matted towards the roots, and felt somewhat greasy to the touch. _And a bath_, he added with some amusement, though it was mostly drowned out by his concern for the boy. Nine days, in unfamiliar cities, all by himself...

Those thoughts seemed to steel Yuugi's resolve, and he forced his eyes to open the rest of the way, a louder, more drawn-out yawn leaving him as he shifted to sit up straight. There was the slamming of a car door as Honda vacated the vehicle, and the tapping of shoes on asphalt as he came around the rear to reach Yuugi's door, and let him out. Stiffening the set of his spine and shoulders in a half-hearted stretch as Honda opened the door, Yuugi gently wriggled his arms in an attempt to rouse Atemu.

"Atem," he murmured, freeing one of the limbs to gently shake the boy awake, "Atemu, wake up."

His only reply was a stubborn, sleepy whine, the Egyptian's face turning into an displeased expression at being disturbed, before he promptly burrowed further into Yuugi's figure. He heard Honda snicker, and the elder man gave a soft laugh, rubbing the remnants of sleep from one eye with his fist. "C'mon, sleepyhead," he cooed, "We're here. You're home."

The word had never sounded sweeter.

He just moaned another complaint. "Don' wanna..."

Yuugi gave a hum, thinking on an incentive that would make the boy willing to get up. He and the officer exchanged glances, the latter of whom just giving a shrug. Yuugi cast him a sarcastic look, before and idea came to mind. He blinked, before grinning slyly. "Atemu~" the trinette sang, "If you get up, I'll make you some hot chocolate when we get inside."

Red eyes flickered open. The two adults couldn't stop themselves from chuckling as the little one looked up in wonder. Yuugi could see the stars dancing in those garnet irises. "R-Really?" Atem asked, starting to smile.

"Yup!" the adult returned with a grin, "But we've gotta get your shoes on, and get you inside first!"

Atemu quickly slid from the elder's lap, and grabbed his tattered sneakers. Without untying the grayed laces, he slipped them on, using a small finger to hold up the broken backs of each shoe as he slipped them over his feet. Yuugi made a mental note to add '_new shoes_' onto his list of necessities to buy for the child, when he scrounged up the time and money to go shopping.

Yuugi glanced up as he heard what sounded like a door being tossed open at Honda's back, and tried to peer past the man as he stood straight, and turned towards the noise. "Honda! It's about freakin' time, man! What the hell was _that_, up an' takin' our buddy downtown like that?" he heard the somewhat-irked voice of Jounouchi. He could hear shoes quickly tapping their way over to them. When the brunette didn't reply, it only seemed to annoy Jou further. "Seriously, dude, what the _fuck_?"

"_Katsuya Jounouchi_!" Yuugi scolded sharply, hands instinctively clasping over Atem's ears, as if to block the foul language from his impressionable head, "You watch your language when there's children around!" He shifted into the threshold of the vehicle, solely for the purpose of glaring daggers at the shocked-looking blonde. His wife was waiting a few paces behind him, lavender eyes blinking owlishly. Even Honda appeared a little taken aback by the usually-complacent male's sharp tongue.

Jounouchi shook his blonde head, as if falling out of a stupor. "Eh? Children?" he mumbled, glancing around, before peering at his friend curiously. "I don't see any kids outside, 're anythin'..."

His voice trailed as he caught sight of another figure behind his best friend, just catching a glimpse of black-and-red hair. Yuugi started as he felt little hands press into his back, and a small chest lean across his spine as Atem's tan face poked up over his shoulder. "Who's that, Aibou?" he asked, squirming an arm from beneath himself to point at Jounouchi. He saw the blonde pale, and Mai gasped loudly from behind him.

"Wh-Wh-What the-!" Yuugi's icy leer made the accented man bite off another curse. "Y-Y-Yuugi... what... h-how the... Who the heck is _that_?!" For lack of better words, Jounouchi jabbed a finger to point, almost in an associational way, at the five-year-old hovering over Yuugi's shoulder. He felt Atemu shrink up against his side timidly. "He-He looks jus' like – d-did, just, _what_ ? When did _you_ knock someone up?! Who was it? Why didn't you tell me you were seein' someone?"

He paused, and then guessed:

"One-night stand?"

Yuugi's face flushed a bright, deep shade of red. "N-No! _Gods_, no! I-I've never even slept with a woman before-" his face flushed darker as he caught the accidental implication "-o-or _anyone_ for that matter! Let alone done something as... as cold as a one-night stand!"

"Well then where did _he_ come from?!"

He felt Atem cringe against his back, moving to hide completely behind Yuugi. Something inside of his chest gave a painful throb as he heard a miniscule sniffle from the child, and his eyes widened. "Atem, Little One, what's wrong?" he asked, turning to face the child. His heart hurt when he saw water lining Atemu's large eyes, and the boy rubbed at them with a fist.

He looked up, and the complete _vulnerability_ in his gaze made the older trinette want to cry along with him. "D-Do... Do you no-not want m-m-me, Aibou?" Yuugi immediately cupped the child's rounded cheeks in the palms of his hands, shushing him gently.

"Oh, nononono!" he murmured quickly, quietly, "Of _course_ I want you with me, Atemu! Why wouldn't I?" Before the little Egyptian could reply, he added, "Jounouchi-ojisan is just being an idiot; he does that a lot."

"Hey!" said '_idiot_' protested, before being blatantly ignored.

Atemu blinked, a tear freeing itself from his lashes. Yuugi's thumb gently swept over the curve of his cheek to wipe it away."Oji-san?" he murmured hesitantly.

"Mm-hmm," Yuugi hummed with a smile, "You're here, so you're a part of the family, aren't you?" Atemu's visage began to brighten at the concept of having a _family_ again, and Yuugi gave a cheery little chirp. "So is he, so he's your family, too, and so is Mai! She's your Oba-san." He grinned at the excitement that came across the young Egyptian's face, and couldn't help but to chuckle along with the younger's bubbly giggle. "Now, how about we go inside and get you that hot chocolate, alright?"

"Yay~!" Atem cheered, stumbling out of the car behind Yuugi as the man playfully jogged towards the door, enticing the young one into a small race. Which he allowed Atem to win, of course. The happy child ran straight past a bewildered set of blondes, Yuugi following after with a laugh as the other made it to the door, and rocked somewhat impatiently on his heels as Yuugi caught up with him.

Yuugi opened the door, glancing over his shoulder as the boy scampered inside and started to take off his shoes again. He raised an expectant brow at the three adults, giving a short gesture for them to come back inside. He knew Mai, at least, hadn't finished her mother-hen episode over Yuugi, and wherever it was his pregnant wife was at, Jounouchi would follow. Honda? Well... he didn't know if the brunette was still technically on-duty, but he was also welcome to take a small break from work, and come inside. Without waiting to see if they advanced or not, Yuugi toed off his own sneakers, and placed a light hand over the waiting Atemu's shoulder, guiding him inside.

"Do you want something to eat with your cocoa, Atem?" he offered kindly, gently leading the curious child down the hall, "I can make you something, if you'd like."

The boy, who's head had been whipping left and right as he took in his surroundings, paused. There was a hopeful gleam in his eyes at the prospect of something edible. "Yes, please!"

Yuugi smiled fondly, briefly going over ideas of something quick and easy to make, that would be ready within the shortest amount of time for the boy to eat. _Something quick..._ he mentally pondered, _Would he like onigiri? It would take a little while to steam the rice, though. Maybe I have some instant noodles, or something like that? Gods, if I had enough money to spare, I'd offer to go out and get something. But with bills and ordering stock for the shop, and now I need to buy children's clothing and an entire __**bedroom**__ on top of that, I need as much money as I can get. Come to think of it – where will he sleep tonight?_ He felt a hand tug hesitantly on his sleeve, effectively breaking Yuugi from his train of thought. He started, having stopped at some point in the middle of the corridor. Atemu was peering up at him curiously. He blinked, "O-Oh, uh, yes, Atem?" he asked after a moment, trying to clear to daze from his head.

"I think you passed the kitchen, Aibou..." he murmured quietly, almost shyly. Yuugi looked up, and behind them. Sure enough, the entryway to the kitchen had been passed. He flushed slightly, and from behind him, Jounouchi, Honda, and Mai began to enter the house as well. An idea came to mind.

"Oh, uhm... I was thinking that we should get you into a bath and some clean clothing, before we eat. Is that alright with you, Little One?" he asked, slowly steering the child towards the stairwell. "Then you'll feel nice and fresh when you come back down, and everything should be about done, so you won't have to wait as long!" Atemu immediately nodded, apparently liking the idea. "Alright, just head upstairs, and go to the door at the end of the hallway – I'll be up in a few minutes, okay?"

The child nodded, chirping a quick "okay!" before quickly following Yuugi's directions. The trinette took the opportunity to get Jounouchi's attention. "Oi, Jou," he said in a hushed tone, "You know where everything's at, right?" Of course he did. The lanky man had practically lived there half the time in their later teenaged years. "Would you mind going through the cupboards, and whipping something up for him really quick? Please? Oh! Or, I could give you some money, and you could run down to _Burger World_, or something?" Jounouchi looked a little taken aback, blinking, but giving a numb nod, either way. "Thanks, you're the best!" He then looked to Honda, giving a small motion towards the married couple in a silent question. The brunette nodded in understanding, and Yuugi smiled. "Thanks again – I'm going to go and help out Atem. Be right back!"

He turned and ascended the stairs, skipping one every now and again in his rush to get to the bathroom. _Now that __**that's**__ taken care of,_ he thought, _I can get Atemu in a bath and find him something to wear for now, until I can go out and buy him some new clothes. And shoes. And a bed. Gods this is going to be expensive, I hope I have enough for the utilities – __**and**__ I need to order new stock for the shop. Ugh, it's like when __**I**__ was his age! How the hell did Jii-chan manage this?! We're going to be living paycheck-by-paycheck for awhile until everything gets settled..._

An enthusiastic "hi, Aibou!" brought Yuugi back to his senses for a second time, and the elder trinette smiled. "Hello, Ate'," he returned, before turning around and closing the door. Atemu followed him around and Yuugi plugged up the tub, and turned on the water, letting the five-year-old test it to make sure the temperature was satisfactory. "Alright, then, do you need any help cleaning up, or can you do it on your own?"

"I-I... I think I can do it..." the child murmured, glancing away shyly. There was a sympathetic smile, and Yuugi playfully ruffled the kid's hair. Atemu was still for a moment, before gripping the ends of his soiled shirt, and trying to pull it over his head. Yuugi blinked, taking the moment where Atem's eyesight was blocked by cloth to look him over more thoroughly. What he could see of his caramel-colored chest and belly, was decorated here and there with smudges of dirt and grim. And, heartbreaking as it was, a few scrapes, even bruising and _cuts_ on his ribs. Something mixed between fear and rage swelled up in Yuugi's chest.

Had someone hurt Atem, in his week-long stay on the streets? Or had they been caused by some sort of accident? But if someone had injured the child... or what about some sort of... some sort of _pervert_ had tried to harm him? His mind immediately began to swirl with worst-case scenarios, and Yuugi physically _shook_ his head to fling them away, to the point where a light ache formed in his temples. Still, those bruises looked like a little more than some kind of clumsy mishap. And his _ribs_... Yuugi could _see them_! Not all of them, which helped soothe him (just _barely_), but still! It looked as if the boy had gone hungry _long_ before his Domino-bound romp in the streets. What kind of facility was his former orphanage? Were they underfunded? Were _all_ the children there going hungry, looking like this? He surely hoped not.

His darker thoughts were, again, disturbed, by a frustrated whine from the boy. He flailed slightly as his shirt refused to leave his body, and Yuugi couldn't help but to give a hushed laugh when the burgundy neckline caught beneath his chin. He gently reached forward, and hooked the cloth from around the child's neck, before standing up. He grabbed a folded-up washcloth that had been set on the bathroom counter, and handed it to the boy. Deeming the water level in the tub as satisfactory, he turned the tap off, and straightened. "I'm going to find something for you to wear tonight, okay? Be sure to wash well, and I'll be back to check on you and help with your hair in a few minutes." Atem nodded blankly, and Yuugi gave a final smile, before exiting the bathroom, closing the door securely behind him. Downstairs, he heard the kettle whistle on the stove top, before it quickly died down, meaning someone had removed it from the heat.

He paused halfway down the hall, gazing thoughtfully at the separate doorways, cheek moving to rest in the palm of one hand. He hummed quietly to himself, thinking hard. _Jii-chan and Kaa-san __**did**__ store a couple of things over the years from when __**I**__ was a kid..._ he pondered, _Maybe there's something in there I could use, until I can buy all this stuff Atemu will need? Some pajamas I could wash, or a mattress, maybe?_ With the silent resolve to do some digging later, once everything was settled to a degree, Yuugi slipped into his bedroom.

It was a medium-sized, simply furnished space with pale, gray-blue walls and a carpeted floor. To left was a master bed. On the wall opposite of it was a window with dark curtains drawn over it to block out the sunlight, with a bookcase at the window's immediate right, tucked into the corner of two conjoining walls. There was a small bedside table on the other side of the mattress and frame, and a wardrobe/dresser sitting by itself in the center of the east wall. Yuugi made his way to it, and began digging through the drawers for something Atemu would be able to wear. At least, until his current clothes could be cleaned.

Settling on a larger, short-sleeved shirt for now, he slung it over one arm and left the room. That, and a pair of his boxers. They're be big on him, sure, but it was better than going without pants _and_ underwear. Besides, the waistline had elastic, which would help keep them on. It would suffice for now.

_I should probably wash his clothes now, so he has them sooner._

Yuugi knocked on the bathroom door, waiting for a reply before opening it. The room had filled with steam, and Yuugi smiled in amusement as he saw the five-year-old idly splashing in the water and drawing little figures in the moisture that had collected on the tiles of the wall. He looked over his wet shoulder and grinned at Yuugi as said man set the folded-up clothes on the bathroom counter. He smiled back, before noticing the darkened color of the bathwater. Atem's skin was cleaned a bit, sure, but it'd be doing no good to have him sitting in a pool of scrubbed-off dirt.

They decided to unplug the drain, and let the dirty water run out of the tub, Atem still sitting inside. He'd covered himself with the washcloth from earlier for some sort of modesty, and had his legs drawn to his chest. Yuugi found it both cute and rather amusing, and he politely averted his eyes from the boy to keep him from feeling sheepish. After all the dirty water had drained from the basin, he turned on the detachable showerhead in its stead, and fulfilled his promise of helping Atemu with his spiky hair. Making sure it was at a warm-but-not-too-hot temperature, he wet the child's hair to the roots, rubbing his fingers through the grimy locks to make sure he cleared away as much filth as he could. After that, he squirt some shampoo into a hand, the showerhead set on the floor of the tub until it was needed. He chuckled when the boy leaned into his hands as he scrubbed away at his scalp, running his fingers through the tangles multiple times to assure they were smoothed out (making it all easier to brush out afterward). As he rinsed the suds out, petting the limp tresses and parting them with soothing strokes of his fingers, Yuugi heard the boy release a slow, contented little hum, and noticed the boy's head bob forward some, before jerking back up. Yuugi had to bite his lip to hold back a coo as he saw the boy's eyelids drop groggily, and his peacefully blank expression.

"Hey, now," he murmured, making Atem glance up at him sleepily, "Don't go nodding off on me now, sleepyhead. You still need to dry off and get dressed." At Atemu's tiny pout, Yuugi sang, "Plus, I think your Uncle Jou and Aunt Mai made you some hot cocoa~"

It was incentive enough, and in a couple of minutes Yuugi was helping Atem dry out his hair while the boy held a second towel over his body like a makeshift shawl, hiding his bare self in embarrassment. "C-Cover your eyes, please?" he asked after Yuugi pointed out the clothes, and the man acquiesced accordingly, turning his back to the child and covering his amethyst eyes with a hand while Atemu dressed himself.

"It'll be pretty big on you," he informed, "But I hope it'll be okay until I can get you some new clothes, and wash your old ones."

He felt small arms squeeze his waist, and Yuugi looked down at the body they were attached to. The sleeves of the T-shirt stopped just above his elbows, and the waistline hung down past his thighs, while the boxers were just a little bit longer than his original shorts had been. His hair was still very damp and tousled, the usually-erect spikes limp and leaning in every which way, clinging to the sides of his face and neck in scattered black-and-maroon strands. His golden fringe hung straight around his face. Atem's face had a large but sleepy grin, and his garnet eyes could have burned brighter than fire in joy and adoration as he gazed up at his new guardian. "Thank you, Aibou," he murmured earnestly, pressing his cheek to the outside of Yuugi's upper leg. Yuugi reached down and ran his fingers through the boy's hair a few times, smoothing it away from his face.

"You're very welcome, Atemu."

* * *

When the two finally meandered back downstairs, Yuugi was met with a vaguely familiar scent that made his mouth want to water. Upon entering the kitchen, he found his three friends in a fairly peculiar setting. Mai had her hair tied back in a hairband, while the men had removed their jackets at some point and slung them over two different chairs. But that wasn't the odd part. The _odd part_ was the off-white, powdery substance that covered nearly every surface in the kitchen – their bodies included. Jou and Honda both looked like they'd gone out and stood beneath some falling snow for a little while, and it clung to their hair. Their clothing was dotted in large, damp splotches of the stuff, and their hands were covered in a substance that Yuugi could only compare to super glue. The worst of the damage Mai had was a smear of it on her left cheek, and probably a minor headache, credited to her husband and his friend. And only God knew how long it'd take poor Yuugi to remedy the mess they'd left on the counter tops, the floor, the table, the cabinet doors, the sink...

In short, it looked a lot like the two men had decided to make his kitchen into a lab for making cocaine.

Oh, that, and there was about an entire fucking _diner's_ worth of pancakes stacked on just about every visible surface they could find.

Jounouchi and Honda were squabbling, and Yuugi stopped in the doorway just in time to see Honda shove the blonde's face into a bowel of batter, who was kicking and screaming the entire time. The twenty-seven-year-old gawked at the scene, his jaw dropping and his eyes almost as large as the plates a few fortunate hotcakes had managed to actually, you know, _make it to the damn plate_.

Mai noticed him, and Yuugi, still slack-jawed, swung a finger at the scene in utter disbelief, as if to ask "_what the absolute, ever-loving **fuck** happened?!_"

She held up her hands in a defensive gesture and said, "I swear I only left them alone for, like, _two minutes_."

The woman's voice seemed to have caught the two idiots' attention, because they stopped fighting, and looked over. Both had the humility to go pale beneath their batter-made masks, and Jounouchi offered a sheepish wave and a "hey, Yuugi..."

Atem, who had been surveying the scene while clinging to Yuugi's leg, chose that time to start laughing, childish and innocent. "Aibou!" he cheered, motioning towards the chaos, "it looks like it snowed pancake stuff in the kitchen!" Yuugi sent a sweet smile to the boy.

"Yes it does, Ate'," he agreed, voice sugar-sweet, before scooting the five-year-old towards out into the hall, adding, "Now, can you do Aibou a _big_ favor by waiting here a moment and plugging your ears, please? I'll get you some pancakes and hot chocolate while you wait."

"Yup!" the boy cheered, eyes shining with unwavering trust as Atemu cupped his hands over his ears, and sat down cross-legged on the floor. Yuugi thanked him, to which he replied with a loud "_what_?", before Yuugi left Atem's sight, and went back into the fray. By the time he returned, Jou and Honda had straightened their postures, standing in an almost military-esque fashion, faces devoid of emotion and arms stiff at their sides as they watched him. Yuugi's brows furrowed, despite the smile on his face, and he could almost feel a vein pulse on his temple in irritation. He noticed Mai step back and lean against the only clean wall that was left, arms crossed and a wickedly amused smirk on her lips.

"Now," he managed to say, trying to keep his temper under wraps, and avoid yelling. Having Atemu cover his ears was just a precaution, but it was better safe than sorry. "I am not going to get mad." It was more to convince himself than them, honestly. "I am going to sit here, and let you two provide me with a _perfectly reasonable_ explanation for why it looks like a giant sack of pancake mix decided to have some '_me-time_' in my kitchen. Which, if I may point out, was just about _spotless_ when I left forty minutes ago." He folded his hands in front of him, trying to quell the steadily-rising aggravation as he forced his visage to keep from falling into a scowl. Vaguely, he noted a frying pan on the ground, which was probably what they'd used to cook up the resulting monstrosity that was his kitchen.

How the hell had he _not_ heard this when he was upstairs with Atem?

"You have ten seconds. Use them wisely."

Jou started. "Well – uh, w-we were makin' the kid some food, l-like you asked, after Honda here explained everything-"

Honda continued, "-and we made a lot more than we expected, but we didn't want to waste the extra stuff-"

"-an' then this guy," Jou pointed in accusation at his friend, suddenly scowling, "decided ta' pour half the bowel of pancake batter on me!"

Honda rounded on him. "I _tripped_! You're the dumbass who decided to shove scalding-hot pancakes down my pants!"

"_You're_ the one who chucked an entire _plate_ of 'em at my head!"

"_You_ started throwing that gunk at me with the measuring cup!"

"_You_ started tossing handfuls of the dry stuff at _me_, so I thought I'd return the favor!"

"You poured syrup in my hair!"

"Oh, somebody call the _waaah_mbulence! You almost choked me to death by force-feeding me this crap!"

"You tried to _hit me with the skillet_! In the _face_! That thing's still hot!"

"You just tried to _drown me_ in fucking _pancake batter_!"

"What? I thought the mutt could use a bath!"

"I'll show _you_ who's a mutt!"

Before Jou could leap at Honda again, something plopped to the floor with a moist sound. They all froze, and Yuugi glanced down.

_It was a goddamn pancake_.

He looked up to the ceiling, where it had fallen from.

_More fucking pancakes_.

Yuugi's eye twitched.

Needless to say: as Yuugi, Atemu and Mai happily munched away and sipped hot chocolate, Honda and Jounouchi spent the rest of the day cleaning.

They may or may not have been nursing a couple of bumps on their heads at the same time.

Probably from the skillet.

* * *

_I admit I made myself grin like an idiot at more than one point in this story. Especially with the "Uncle Jou" part - mostly because I, myself, have an uncle named "Joe", and it sounds really similar. So I dunno, I found it amusing. *laughs*_

_Oh! By the way - I've got a poll on my profile (it's been there for a couple months now, actually) for you guys to help me decide on which story/stories I should write next! You can find all of them either already posted on my profile (stories on hiatus), or in my **Teasers** collection, so you can get a feel of each of them before making a decision. I'll be taking it down once I finish another story of mine, **Metamorphosis**, which only has a chapter left - so, please, if you haven't already, spend a couple of seconds and leave your mark! Every vote counts. :)_

_Hope you guys liked it! Hopefully I'll get around the writing the next chapter soon, yeah?  
_

_Stay safe, everyone!_


End file.
